As kids approach adulthood, there are things you can do to help them feel prepared and confident. From simple tasks like making a phone call to more complex skills such as financial planning, you can help your child feel ready for college and more.
My son looked at me with dread in his eyes. He needed to find out about driver’s education classes, and the website had minimal information. I smiled and told him he needed to call them. As he held the phone in his hand, he wasn’t sure what to do, what to say, or what to ask. He didn’t want to make the call, but I knew he needed to.
Here are 10 helpful things to teach your child:
LIFE SKILLS
Cook simple meals: Yes, they will probably have a meal plan if they go away to college. But knowing how to make a few meals will help them far beyond their college years. Spend time including them in food preparation. Teach them how to follow a recipe, measure, and prep ingredients.
Transfer health care: While you have been responsible for every aspect of their health care, they need to learn how to navigate their health. Let them make appointments, handle check-in, and share insurance information. Give them a chance to answer questions at doctor’s appointments before you give any input, and be sure to provide them with one-on-one time with the doctor. Letting go of control in this area can feel challenging, but you both must learn how to do this. The more you equip your kids to handle these things, the easier it will be when they get sick and are away from home.
Run errands: Things that seem simple to us can be challenging for teens because they haven’t done them before. Give them a chance to run errands like going to the grocery store or pumping gas so they learn how to do these things independently. Even having them take the car in for an oil change or bring the dog to the groomer so they know how to interact with service providers independently helps prepare them for adulthood.
Self-care: This isn’t about relaxing or taking time for yourself, although that is helpful to model and teach. This is about teaching your child how to take care of things like hygiene, laundry, making a bed, wiping down counters, cleaning out the fridge, getting rest and exercise, and even managing time. While it is nice to do these things for them sometimes, that should be the exception. It is not typical for someone else to handle these things in life. Teach them how to do it now and they will be much better off in the future.
FINANCIAL SKILLS
Open a bank account: Help your child open a bank account. If they are younger than 18, you will need to be on the account with them, but many banks offer student accounts that can be opened as young as 15 and used until their early to mid-twenties. Get an account with a debit card and teach them how it works and how to monitor their spending.
Pay bills: Kids need to learn how to pay bills on time. Even if they don’t have official bills, you can start teaching them to contribute to their expenses, such as cell phone or car insurance, on a particular day each month.
Plan spending and saving: Have regular conversations about how to plan their spending. Budgeting can sound too intense for many teens, so asking questions can get them thinking about upcoming expenses or savings. For example, asking “I saw that the fair is coming. How much do you plan on spending when you go with your friends?” or “I know you’re hoping to get a computer before college starts. How much do you need to save each month to make that happen?” will help your child think ahead about how to use their money best.
LEARNING AND PROFESSIONAL SKILLS
Talk about plans: Regularly discuss what options are available to your child. If they are going to college, make them part of the process and help them understand the financing. Whether you are paying for school, they are paying for school, or they are utilizing aid, clear communication is essential, so they know what they are responsible for now and in the future.
Prepare documents: College requires a lot of documents. There are many things to fill out, from resumes to applications, essays to scheduling. Let your child complete the forms. Yes, you can answer questions. But help them take responsibility for their learning by handling this process. There can be a lot of questions and discussions that need to happen for them to do this. Consider setting aside a weekly time to answer any questions they may have so you both have the time and attention needed to complete the tasks.
Pay attention to deadlines: The college application process is full of deadlines. Taking tests, sending transcripts, completing admissions and financial applications, and sending deposits all have specific deadlines. Discuss these with your child and expect them to meet these deadlines. Reviewing upcoming deadlines together and asking them to plan time to complete the tasks is helpful. Visual and digital reminders will help them stay on track.
If you provide the opportunity for your kids to handle some adult responsibilities now while you are available to help, they will have the confidence and ability to take care of these things once they are on their own.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT
A three-step guide to uncover what college REALLY costs
Collier County seventh graders get college, career and life-ready experiences
High School’s Final Year: Supporting Your College-Bound Child